Therapeutic garment

ABSTRACT

A garment is provided that positions and maintains therapeutic materials relative to a selected body part. A first version holds an icepack or optionally a heat emitting material proximate to a body part of a wearer, while minimally restricting the wearer&#39;s mobility. As one example, the wearer might be able to continue engaging in a sports activity while treating an edema of a body part with an icepack comprised in the garment. In another version, the garment might position and maintain heat emitting material or device relative to a first body part of a wearer while simultaneously positioning and maintaining a second therapeutic material, e.g., a cold pack, relative to a second body part of the wearer. In another version, the garment might position magnets or objects of psychological or spiritual significance, e.g., an object bearing a religious image or signage, separately, in combination or proximate to a therapeutic material

CONTINUATION-PART

This nonprovisional patent application is a Continuation-in-Part toProvisional Patent Application No. 60/627,361, filed on Nov. 8^(th),2004. This nonprovisional patent application claims benefit of thefiling and priority date of Nov. 8^(th), 2004 of said Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/627,361, and incorporates said provisional patentapplication herein in its entirety and for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to body wear, and, more particularly,to the therapeutic garments, including inner wear, outerwear,undergarments, and unitary garments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typically, it is known to administer various therapeutic remedies toassist in curing various conditions or alleviating the pain anddiscomfort associated with certain medical conditions, procedures,symptomatic sensations, and environmental factors. For example, an icepack is often applied to a sprained ankle to both reduce the localizededema at the injury site and to manage or ameliorate the pain associatedwith such an injury. Heating pads provide thermal comfort when appliedto preselected body areas, such as the lumbar region. Portable warmersmay be used during outdoor events to impart warmth to the hands, feet,and so forth.

Such remedies as known in the art, however, are typically designed forapplication to a specific region of the body. Thus, if one were todesire the benefits of a therapeutic agent for disparate injury sites onthe body, one would have to apply separate devices to site. For example,if an accident victim were to treat a sprained ankle and a sprainedelbow with ice packs, separate devices must be located, prepared, andapplied separately to each area. It is understood that the term “agent”as used herein includes substances, devices and objects intended to, andselected to, provide a therapeutic and/or a psychological benefit to aperson.

In addition, in many cultures psychological or spiritual comfort may berealized by a person when certain materials and objects are placedproximate to a body part. For example, the positioning of a religiousmedallion, a fetish, an herb or other substances in relation to a bodypart may provide comfort or hope to an adherent of a particularreligious faith or spiritual tradition.

The placement of other objects or substances, such as magnets orhomeopathic formulations, may provide psychological comfort to certainpersons who maintain a belief in the therapeutic value of these objectsor substances. Health gains encouraged, or contributed to, by a placeboeffect and/or a psychological value of a person's belief in a positiveinfluence of an object or substance may justify the expense and effortof positioning one or more such objects or substances proximate to abody part of the person in an easily sustainable method.

Further, to ensure continued application to the correct area of thebody, the prior art teaches that a user must often remain immobileduring periods of application of certain prior art devices.Alternatively, the user must sometimes submit in the prior art tounwieldy and cumbersome attachment devices. For example, if a userwishes to apply an ice pack to a sprained elbow and remain mobile, theuser may have to resort to use of a sling or other device to hold theice pack in place during normal activity. In addition to theinconvenience and expense of procuring and attaching the ice pack andthe sling to the injured arm, the sling itself renders the arm immobile.

Still other devices known in the art require the use of cumbersomeancillary components that require external power sources and the like.For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,723,967 to Rock et al. discloses andclaims a textile article having a fabric body and an electricalresistance element capable to being electrically coupled to anduncoupled from an electrical power source (such as a wall outlet). Thus,a user of such a device must, at a minimum, find a proximal externalpower source and connect the element to the power source. As with otherdevices known in the art, such a device has a limited utility due to itsrequirement for an external power source. Further, such a deviceseverely limits the mobility of a user and limits portability of thedevice.

What is needed, then, is an economical device for therapeuticapplication to one or more reselected sites of substance or objects oftherapeutic or psychological value. Preferably, the device providesmultiple agents for concurrent use at multiple, preselected sites whilepreserving both the overall mobility and the localized mobility of theuser. It is further preferable to provide such a device having varioustypes of agents for individualized application goals, such agents beingreusable and/or easily and economically replaceable. Finally, it isdesirable to provide such a device that is easily transportable,accessible, and functional in a variety of environments. It is an objectof the Present Invention to provide a garment that enables thepositioning and maintenance of at least one material relative to a bodypart of a wearer for the purpose of medically or psychologicallyproviding comfort or medical treatment to the wearer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Towards these objects, and other objects that will be made obvious inlight of the present disclosure, a method and system are provided forpositioning an agent in a sustainable manner by means of a garment. Afirst version is a therapeutic garment designed to be worn by a user fortherapeutic application. The first version includes a modality agent anda means for accommodating a modality agent and positioning the modalityagent in relation to a body part of the user to provide or encourage atherapeutic effect or psychological benefit.

Various alternate preferred embodiments of the Method of the PresentInvention provides one or more back and/or front panels of fabric;pockets for each removably housing one or more modality agents; buttons,hook and loop fasteners, a zipper, elastic bands to enable the openingand closing of a garment or a pocket of a garment; and/or signage. Invarious still alternate preferred embodiments of the Method of thePresent Invention a modality agent is provided that may be or comprise amaterial providing heat to the user, a material drawing heat from theuser, a magnet an electro-mechanical device, a chemical substance, apneumatic agent, an object of religious significance, an object ofspiritual significance, a homeopathic material, and/or a fetish.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will beapparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment ofthe invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These, and further features of the invention, may be better understoodwith reference to the accompanying specification and drawings depictingthe preferred embodiment, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a frontal view of the jacket according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a rear view of the jacket of FIG. 1, according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates an ice pack are sized and shaped to be housed withina pocket of the jacket of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a front view and a back view of the jacket ofFIG. 1 having specific dimensions, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a plurality or modality agents that are sized andshaped to be housed within a pocket of the jacket of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description is provided to enable any person skilled inthe art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modescontemplated by the inventor of carrying out his or her invention.Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art, since the generic principles of the PresentInvention have been defined herein.

Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and2 of the drawings, wherein like elements are referenced with the samenumeral, there is shown generally at 10 a garment according to thepresent invention, the garment 10 is formed as a jacket 10 comprising afabric 11 having a front left panel 12, a front right panel 14, a leftsleeve 16, a right sleeve 18, a collar 20, a back left panel 22, a backright panel 24. A zipper 25 reclosably connects the front left panel 12and the front right panel 14. Alternatively, the left front panel 12 andthe right front panel 14 may be detachably coupled by a plurality ofbuttons 26A and matching button receivers 26B. The button receivers 2Bmay each provide a slit 26C in the fabric 11 sized to permit a button26A to pass through the slit 26C. An elastic band 26D maintains the leftfront panel 12 and the right front panel 14 in a coupled configuration,while enabling the left front panel 12 and the right front panel 14 tobe drawn apart to enable a user to fit the garment 10 about the user'sbody and also to maintain the left front panel 12 and the right frontpanel 14 to and hold the jacket 10 close to the user's body while thejacket 10 is being worn by the user. A hook and loop fasteners assembly27, e.g., matching Velcro® strips 27A and 28B, comprises a first strip27A attached to the left front panel 12 and a second strip 27B attachedto the right front panel 14. The first strip 27A and the second strip27B are configured to be complementary to enable detachable coupling ofthe first strip 12 with the second strip 27B, whereby the left frontpanel 12 and the right front panel 14 may be optionally drawn togetherand apart while worn by a user.

The jacket 10 may be assembled by, for example, machine or hand sewingthe applicable components to one another, gluing the components, orother suitable means as is known in the art. For example, front leftpanel 12 may be sewn to the back left panel 22, while the front rightpanel 14 may be sewn to the back right panel 24. The back left panel 22may be joined to the back right panel 24 by sewing or other suitablemeans known in the art. A skilled artisan will note that various meansto attach garment components may be used so long as the functionalitydescribed herein is carried out.

The jacket 10 may be sized and shaped to conform to a clothing standard,such as 42 regular, or a shape conforming to a size specified in theEuropean clothing EN 13402, other suitable clothing standard sizedesignations of clothing known in the art. It is further understood thatthe fabric 11 may be or comprise neoprene; nylon; cotton; Polartec S®fabric; and poly-cotton, or other suitable material known in the art.Alternatively or additionally, the fabric 11 may be of comprise anabsorbent material, an air permeable material, a liquid-impermeablematerial, an insulating material, a washable material, a dryablematerial, a foldable material, a colorfast material, or other suitablematerial known in the art.

A plurality of pockets 28-36. is shown. The pockets 28-36, such assleeve pockets 28, may be accessed externally (from the outside of thejacket 10) via openings 38, whereby one or more modality agents, such asa temperature moderator ice pack 42, as shown in FIG. 3, may beinserted. The pockets 28-36 may be shaped and sized in a rectangle shapehaving a width W of four inches and a depth D of five inches (pleasenote the pocket 28 of FIG. 2), and to accept and enclose an agent 42-60fitting within a volume defined by three orthogonal axes of one inchheight H, three inch width W2 and four inch length L, as per FIGS. 3 and6. Means for closure such as by hook and loop fasteners assemblies 40,e.g., matching Velcro® strips 40, may be used to reclosably connect theopenings 38 of the pocket. Similarly, upper back pocket 30 and mid backpocket 32 may be accessed externally via openings 38, said openings 38reclosable connected by hook and loop fasteners assemblies 40, e.g.,Velcro® strips 40. Chest pocket 34 and shoulder pockets 36 may beaccessed via openings 38. Thus, for example, when one or more ice packs42 are inserted into pockets 28-36 of the jacket 10, and the jacket 10is donned, the ice packs 42 (as shown in FIG. 3) may be brought intoproximal contact with various muscle, joint, and ligament regions of thewearer. The cooling properties of the ice packs 42 are imparted to suchregions, providing various therapeutic benefits to the wearer withoutlimiting the wearer's mobility or activities. Each ice pack 42 is sizedand shaped to fit within a volume defined by three orthogonal axes ofone inch height H, three inch width W2 and four inch length L and to bewholly placed into a pocket 28-36. The ice packs may comprise frozenwater provided to the user at a temperature near or below 32 degreesFahrenheit

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, there are shown front and back views,respectively, of a jacket of the present invention, ordered by anindividual for a custom fit, for example.

In various alternate preferred embodiments of the Method of the PresentInvention the garment 10 may be configured to embody a unitary garment,an undergarment, an outer garment, or pants. The garment 10 may be sizedand shaped to conform to a suitable clothing size standard known in theart, to include a size specified in the European clothing EN 13402, orother suitable clothing standard size designations of clothing known inthe art, to include an American, English or metric suitable clothingsize designation standard.

Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 6, FIG.6 presents a plurality of agents 44-60 that are sized and shaped to fitwithin a volume defined by three orthogonal axes of one inch height H,three inch width W2 and four inch length L and to be wholly placed intoa pocket 28-36. It is understood that the sizes and shapes of thepockets 28-36 and the agents 42-60 may be varied to support a morecontrolled placement of the agent 42-60 within a pocket 28-36 todesirably position and maintain the agent 42-60 in relation to amodality point or body part of a wearer of the jacket 10 to support apsychological or therapeutic effect.

A temperature moderator thermal heat agent 44 is provided at atemperature preferably higher than a body temperature of the wearer ofthe jacket, and more preferably at a temperature of 100 degreesFahrenheit or higher, and less than a temperature that will damage bodytissue of the wearer. Agent 46 is an electromechanical device includinga battery 46A and a vibrator 46B housed in a case 46C. The battery 46Adelivers electrical power via leads 46D to the vibrator 46B, and thevibrator 46B converts the received electrical power into mechanicalvibrational energy. Locating the electromechanical device 46 in a pocket28-36 enables the wearer the garment to receive vibrational therapy at abody part of modality point located proximate to the pocket 28-36housing the electromechanical device 46. A chemical component agent 48comprises thermal material 48A that may be either heated or cooled toeither provide heat to a modality point or to lower the temperature of amodality point of a body part. A pneumatic component 50 includes acompressed gas 50A and an enclosure 50B, the enclosure 50B capturing andmaintaining the compressed gas at a pressure higher than an ambientatmospheric pressure. A magnet agent 52 is a magnetized material and isshaped in a circular disk having a one inch radius within a planedefined by the L and W2 axes and a half inch height H. An object ofreligious significance 54 is a medal 54 having a surface 54A visuallypresenting an image 54B of religious significance. An object ofspiritual significance 56 comprises a medal 56 having a surface 56Avisually presenting an image 56B of spiritual significance. Ahomeopathic material 58 comprises Allium Cepa, i.e. elements of an onion58A. A fetish 60 is a mineral crystal.

The present invention may be directed to, inter alia, a device such as atherapeutic garment for therapeutic application of modality agents,defined herein as an object or device that has, generates, or transferstherapeutic properties, to various, preselected parts of the body,and/or may provide a psychological value to a user. For example, anaspect of the present invention provides for a unitary (all-in-one orone piece) therapeutic garment having pouches for modality agents. Thepouches may correspond to modality points, defined herein aspredetermined areas or regions of the body such that wearing of thetherapeutic garment brings the modality agent into close physicalproximity to the point, allowing a transference of therapeuticproperties such as warmth or cooling properties from the modality agentto the modality point either on or in the body, positioning the modalityagent to support a psychological affect, i.e., an optimistic attitude,to a person.

The present invention has broad application across a range of uses andenvironments. An example of this may be found in a physical trainingenvironment where pre-exercise and post-exercise periods call forapplication of various modality agents to various groups of muscles. Forexample, therapeutic garments having warming modality agents may be usedin preparation for a workout, while therapeutic garments having coolingmodality agents may be used after a workout to reduce muscle, joint, andligament inflammation as well as promote the recovery process for muscletissue damaged during training sessions. Similarly, sports participantsmay find remediation from injuries incurred during play by use of thetherapeutic garment, thus allowing the injured player to complete theactivity before seeking other remedies for the injury.

Another example of application is a hospital environment. Varioustherapeutic garments such as a hospital jacket or brassiere may beconfigured with cooling modality agents to provide pain relief and actas an anti-swelling agent when positioned on or near the site of asurgical trauma (for example, in the chest region after breastaugmentation surgery or breast surgery). Alternatively, patientssuffering from conditions such as elevated body temperature may gainsome relief from the fever by application of a therapeutic garmentconfigured with cooling modality agents. Yet another example ofapplication may be found in a physical therapy environment. Physicaltherapists may suggest patient use of therapeutic garments havingvarious modality agents to ameliorate pain sensation while the patientcompletes a physical therapy session.

Still another example of application may address environmental orclimate conditions. For example, a jacket configured with variouswarming modality agents may be worn for attendance at outdoor spectatorevents or participation in various activities in a cool or cold weatherto inhibit or stall the onset of a chill.

Certain aspects of the present invention may maintain or promotemobility of the user by allowing for freedom of movement of articulatedareas of the body. By contrast, devices of the prior and current artoften require affixation to a jointed area of the body, resulting inpartial or complete immobility of that area.

Unlike devices of the prior art and current art, the present inventionmay provide for removable self-containment of the modality agents. Forexample, certain aspects of the present invention may providetherapeutic garments having pouches at preselected locations for housingmodality agents such as ice packs. One or more ice packs may be added orremoved from various pouches at will, providing a highly flexible andspecialized therapeutic treatment program.

Various aspects of the present invention may include various therapeuticgarment designs. For example, certain aspects of the present include,but are not limited to, a unitary therapeutic garment; outerweargarments such as jackets or pants; and undergarments such as brassieres,socks or undershirts.

Such designs may be utilized to provide a “mix and match” wardrobesuited to a user's needs. For example, one or more undergarments may becombined with a jacket and pants to provide an outfit having thetherapeutic properties desired by the user.

Further, such therapeutic garments may be utilized according to a user'sneeds as they change over time. For example, a user may initially selectan undershirt having warming modality agents positioned proximally toupper region of the back to be worn for a workout in the gym. Aftercompletion of the workout, the user may remove the warming modalityagents from the undershirt and add outer therapeutic garments withadditional modality agents, such as a jacket and outer pants, the jackethaving cooling modality agents added for transference of coolingproperties to major muscle groups in the upper arms. In this manner, thepresent invention provides for highly flexible use tailored to anindividual's particular needs. By contrast, devices of the prior art andcurrent art typically limit application to a specific area of the bodyand may also limit mobility of that region of the body. Further, suchprior art devices typically disallow application of more than one deviceto overlapping body regions at one time.

In various aspects of the present invention therapeutic garments may bearticulated to promote free movement (full or substantially full rangeof movement) in the wearer. In various aspects, therapeutic garments mayhave various features such to facilitate donning or doffing thetherapeutic garment. For example, jackets may have front closurescomprising buttons, zippers, snaps and/or other suitable fastener knownin the art.

In addition, various aspects of the present invention providepersonalized or selectable size and position options. For example, auser may stipulate certain therapeutic garment measurements such that atherapeutic garment is made to such specifications. Additionally, thetherapeutic garment may be structured to permit adjustable positioningof the modality agents with respect to the modality point. For example,a bed jacket therapeutic garment having a tie or belt about themidsection may be adjustably cinched to wring the modality agents intovarying degrees of proximity to the corresponding modality points.

Various materials or combinations of materials may be used in such atherapeutic garment. For example, the material may comprise neoprene,cotton, poly-cotton (a blend of polyester and cotton), Polartec 222 S®fabric, or other materials to meet the wearer's needs. Various textilesmay be used to construct uni-layer or multi-layer therapeutic garments.

Further, material qualities and characteristics of the therapeuticgarments may be selected to suit one or more objectives, including, forexample, durability, maintainability, temperature control, and so forth.For example, a fabric may be selected for a therapeutic garment thatcombines colorfast and anti-wrinkle qualities together with the abilityto machine-wash and machine-dry the therapeutic garment, thus providinga versatile solution for therapeutic wear. Additionally, the fabric maybe selected to provide, for example, insulation, absorbent qualities,high penetration resistance, air permeable (breathable) qualities, aliquid-impermeable quality, and so forth. Further, the therapeuticgarment may be constructed of an easily foldable material to facilitatepacking and transportation of the therapeutic garment.

One or more aspects or elements of various alternate preferredembodiments of the Present Invention may also include amenities andaccessories intended to promote ease of wear, user comfort,maintainability, aesthetic characteristics, or other desirableattributes. Examples of the foregoing include elasticized wrist or ankleportions; pockets; collars; stylized color and pattern combinations; anddecorative trim or appliques.

Various aspects of the therapeutic garment may include various means foraccommodation of one or more modality agents. For example, a therapeuticgarment may be configured with one or more external or internal pocketsfor receiving and housing one or more modality agents. External andinternal pockets may, for example, include means for closure such ashook and loop fasteners to include Velcro® strips, and/or buttons,zippers, or other suitable fasteners known in the art. Additionally, forexample, the jacket could have a material that permits removableattachment of pockets. Similarly, means for accommodating one or moremodality agents may include (but are not limited to) internal orexternal pouches; means for attachments, such (but not limited) asVelcro® strips, ties, snaps or buttons.

Means for accommodation may be positioned at one or more predeterminedlocations on or in the therapeutic garment. Means for location may varyin size, dimension, shape, type, or other ways to, for example,accommodate a variety of modality agents. Further, means foraccommodation may comprise various materials, such as, but not limitedto, water impermeable, air permeable, etc.

In various aspects of the present invention, the modality agents mayprovide for a variety of therapeutic benefits via a variety ofmaterials, constructs, and so forth. For example, temperature moderatorsmay be utilized to provide or transfer warmth or cooling properties tomodality points. The temperature moderators may include, for example, athermal agent such as a hot water container having hot water therein,the thermal agent inserted into a preselected pouch of the user'stherapeutic garment. In another example, a cooling agent may be used toimpart cooling aspects of a modality agent to the proximal modalitypoint.

Modality agents may comprise, for example, chemical components,electrical-mechanical components, pneumatic components, or othercomponents and combinations of components. For example, various aspectsof the present invention may include modality agents comprising dry icefor cooling applications or air pouches for exerting a light pressure ona particular body region. As one skilled in the art will note, thetherapeutic garment accommodates a full range of modality agents,including basic, economical agents, such as, but not limited to, icepacks, or collections of cold material such as ice, assembled fromcommon items found in the home. Further, the range of agents includesboth easily replaceable agents, such as, but not limited, ice packs anda variety of reusable agents, such as, but not limited to, easilyportable heating elements using, for example, batteries as a powersource.

The above description is intended to be illustrative, and notrestrictive. A skilled artisan will recognize that various other meansand configurations for embodying the present invention are possible, solong as the functionality described herein is carried out. The examplesgiven should only be interpreted as illustrations of some of thepreferred embodiments of the invention, and the full scope of theinvention should be determined by the appended claims and their legalequivalents. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that variousadaptations and modifications of the just-described preferredembodiments can be configured without departing from the scope andspirit of the invention. The scope of the invention as disclosed andclaimed should, therefore, be determined with reference to the knowledgeof one skilled in the art and in light of the disclosures presentedabove.

1. A therapeutic garment for therapeutic application, the therapeuticgarment comprising: a fabric, the fabric configured for encircling abody part, and the fabric comprising at least one pocket, the pocketlocated on the fabric to enable positioning of the pocket proximate to apredetermined body part when the garment is worn by a person; and amodality agent, the modality agent removably located within the at leastone pocket.
 2. The therapeutic garment of claim 1, wherein the at leastone modality agent further comprises a temperature moderator.
 3. Thetherapeutic garment of claim 2, wherein the temperature moderatorfurther comprises at least one element selected from a group consistingessentially of a heating agent and a cooling agent.
 4. The therapeuticgarment of claim 1, wherein the modality agent is from a groupconsisting essentially of a chemical component; an electro-mechanicalcomponent; and a pneumatic component.
 3. The therapeutic garment ofclaim 1, wherein the modality agent is from a group consistingessentially of a magnet; an object of religious significance; and objectof spiritual significance; a homeopathic material; and a fetish.
 5. Thetherapeutic garment of claim 1, the fabric further comprising at leastone material selected from a group consisting essentially of neoprene;nylon; cotton; Polartec S® fabric; and poly-cotton.
 6. The therapeuticgarment of claim 1, the fabric further comprising at least one elementselected from a group consisting essentially of an absorbent material;an air permeable material; a liquid-impermeable material; an insulatingmaterial; a washable material; a dryable material; a foldable material;and a colorfast material.
 7. The therapeutic garment of claim 1, thefabric further comprising at least one element selected from a groupconsisting essentially of a unitary garment; an undergarment; an outergarment; a jacket; and pants.
 8. A therapeutic garment for therapeuticapplication, the therapeutic garment comprising: means for accommodatinga modality agent, said means for accommodating a modality agent providedfor at least one predetermined location of the therapeutic garment,wherein the at least one predetermined location of the therapeuticgarment further comprises at least one predetermined locationcorresponding to at least one modality point.
 9. The therapeutic garmentof claim 8, further comprising at least one modality agent.
 10. Atherapeutic garment comprising: a jacket having: a back member; a frontmember attached to the front member and to the back member; and at leastone pocket disposed on at least one component selected from a groupconsisting essentially of the back member. the front member; and eachsleeve of the two sleeves, the pocket for removably receiving andhousing at least one modality agent.
 11. The therapeutic garment ofclaim 10, further comprising the at least one modality agent.
 12. Thetherapeutic garment of claim 10, further comprising at least onecomponent selected from a group consisting essentially of a hook andloop fastener assembly, a button, a collar and a zipper.
 13. Thetherapeutic garment of claim 10, wherein the back member furthercomprises a back left panel and a back right panel.
 14. The therapeuticgarment of claim 10, wherein the front member further comprises a frontleft panel and a front right panel.
 15. The therapeutic garment of claim10, wherein the at least one pocket further comprises an opening formedtherein.
 16. The jacket of claim 10, wherein the jacket furthercomprises a means for closure coupled with the selected from the groupessentially consisting of a plurality of buttons and matching buttonreceivers, a zipper, a pair of hook and loop fastener surfaces, and anelastic band.
 17. The jacket of claim 11, wherein the modality agentcomprises at least one element selected from a group consistingessentially of a heating agent and a cooling agent.
 18. The jacket ofclaim 11, wherein the modality agent is from a group consistingessentially of a chemical component; an electro-mechanical component;and a pneumatic component.
 19. The jacket of claim 11, wherein thejacket further comprises at least one material selected from a groupconsisting essentially of neoprene; nylon; cotton; Polartec S® fabric;and poly-cotton.
 20. The jacket of claim 11, wherein the jacket farthercomprises at least one element selected from a group consistingessentially of an absorbent material; an air permeable material; aliquid-impermeable material; an insulating material; a washablematerial; a dryable material; a foldable material; and a colorfastmaterial.